Welcome to the Australian Bush Poets Association

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WELCOME. Membership of the Australian Bush Poets Association (ABPA) is comprised of writers, performers and individuals who are interested in bush poetry and enjoy written and live stories in rhyme and metre. If you have an interest in this piece of Australian culture called bush poetry, you have come to the right place.

Aims
The objectives of the Australian Bush Poets Association are to foster and encourage the growth of bush poetry in Australia. By definition, Australian bush poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians and/or the Australian way of life.

Membership
To join the Australian Bush Poets Association and receive our bi-monthly magazine, go to our Membership page.

The ABPA keeps in touch with its members through this website (and forum) and our bi-monthly magazine of bush poetry news, events, results of written and performance competitions as well as samples of contemporary bush poetry. Many members have books, CDs and other products. These can be advertised in the magazine. For rates, click here. The deadline for ads and other content for the magazine is the 22nd of the month preceding publication. Magazines are published at the beginning of February, April, June, August, October and December.

ABPA Facebook page Check out our Facebook page.

2023 NSW Championships

The NSW State Championships were held as part of the Poets on The Mountain Festival at Guyra 11-19 November.
Paddy O’Brien became overall champion and Debby Berryman runner-up. Full results here.

2023 NSW Champs

Co-ordinator Tom McILveen, Poet of the Mountain and overall champion Paddy O’Brien, runner-up Debby Berryman and Guyra’s Australian Poetry Hall of Fame proprietor James Warren.

2023 NSW Champs

Tom McILveen with category winners and place-getters: Paddy O’Brien, Debby Berryman, Peter Frazer, David Stanley, Caroline Tuohey, Andrew Pulsford, Jenny Markwell, film award recipient Skye Campen and James Warren.

2023 NSW Champs

The festival included a Rhymers Variety Show featuring the Spiral Time duo of Tom McILveen and Susan Ashton (second from right), as well as NSW championship judges Bill Kearns, Robyn Sykes and Ray Essery (at right).

2023 NSW Champs
2023 NSW Champs

NSW championship judges Ray Essery, Robyn Sykes and Bill Kearns.

2023 NSW Champs
2023 NSW Champs

Past Magazines now online

The historic magazines of the ABPA from its inception in 1994 are now available here. See how we used to look!



See previously featured poets.

See previously featured achievers.